Navigation apparatus



mar-1.9!. AH LsbtSSodl May 18 1926.

'M. Roux NAVIGATION APPARATUS Filed Feb. 8, 1921 s Sheets-Sheet 1' Jnvenior;

May 18 1926.

M. Roux NAVIGATION APPARATUS Filed Feb. 8, 1921 s shecs sheet 2 Juveni e r;

May 18,1926. 1,585,210

M. ROUX NAV-I GATION APPARATUS Filed Fab. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 114 I jnveniof AMM Patented May l8, 1926.

MTED STATES max nonx, or nnaLm-rnmnnimu, GERMANY.

NAVIGATION APPARATUS.

Application filed February In the German patent-specification 278,-

174 a navigating apparatus for aircrafthas been described by means of which the flight passenger or observer indicates to the pilot the direction to be followed and which is characterized by the fact that by movement of an indicator playing over a compass card, which the observer adjusts to the point of the compass to be followed, the ,box'of a compass is positively turned in the opposite direction to the same extent, the needle of said box compass, or an arm connected therewith, playing in the manner known between two box contacts and thereby, owing to the impingements thereon, closing one of two current circuits of an electro-magnetic course indicator until the pilot has. turned the machine. exactly into the direction or course ndicated, whereupon the signal circuit is again automatically interrupted and the course indicator returns to its neutral position.

This device described in the above-mentioned German specification is, however, only applicable to large compasses, namely to such where the compass card has sufficient magnetic force to cause a proper closing of the circuit with the contact pieces. In smaller compasses, such as are used in aircraft for example, the magnetic power of the magnetic direction indicating plate is not sufliciently strong to allow the magnetic direction indicating plate to remain in a given position close to one of the contact pieces. Due to the jolt upon an alteration in the course the compass card will spring back and this prevents a proper contact formation.

v The object of the present invention is to" provide a device working essentially upon the same principle as the above, butwhich,

on the one hand, is materially more sensitive,

of light which are covered by the magnetic direction indicating plate, which is provided a, 1921. Serial No. 443,450.-

with an incision extending over half the circular peri hery, but which upon displacement of t e magnetic direction indicating plate allows illumination of one or the other of the selenium cells and thereby causes current to pass through the illuminated cell, so that a suitable indlcating device is laced in action by electric means. Further etails of the invention are apparent from the following description.

The invention is shown by way. of example in a constructional form in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan of the compass used in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 isa plan of the compass card adjusted to the course to be followed, in combination with some associate parts.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the compass on the line w-a of Figure 1 showing the compass card and its associated parts, the electrical source, and the indicator; and

Figure 4 is a plan of the magnetic direction,1ndicating plate,

Figure 5 is a diagrammatical illustration of the compass mechanism (on the left), an indicating device (on the right), elect-romotors for both, and the wiring-diagram, $5

inclusive the battery and relays.

As in the German specification mentioned the navigation device consists of three parts, namely, a compass card, the angular displacement of which upon the second part or $0 compass is so transmitted that the compass box is subjected to a similar an lar displacement and a third part consisting of an suitable type of distance indicator, Whic is omitted from. the drawings however, as

its construction may either be that according to said patent or of any other suitable construction, such a structure is clearly shown in the Fig. 3 wherein 37 is an electrically operable indicating mechanism and 36. is a we battery indicated in circuit therewth. These two elements are described more in detail in my Patent Number, 1,485,430 of March 4-, 1924. a I

In the drawings 1 is the rotary compass 1% card, which is adjusted with reference to a fixed index 2. This adjustment is effected by means of a handle 3 which, through the medium of a gear wheel 4, turns a shaft 5 which can turn primarily the compass card through the medlum of a worm 6, but which at the same time is in connection with'the.

, v ,a oFFic'.

com ass mechanism by means of a flexible sha P 7 On turning the handle 3 therefore as assumed in the German specification menmay be desirable in lar e battle planes or in similar classes of'utihzation is afforded. The flexible shaft-.17 connects at the compass with 'a shaft portion 8 which, by means of a .wormz9, turns a worm wheel IO mounted upon a sleeve 11, which is pivotally mounted upon a dependent 'pi'n 12,:and-in its turn carries the yoke 13, whlch supports the compass box'14 in a Garden-like manner.

' By' means of the Cardan-like suspension of the compassv it can thus arrangement described.

Now in the ordinaryconstructional example two selenium cells 16 and 1:? are arranged above the magnetic directlon indicating .plate 15, whilst two sources of l ght 20 are mounted below the magnetic-direcbe rotated by the tion' indicating plate 15in cases 18. and 19.-

In the example shown in Fig.3, the sources oflight' are electric'incandescent lamps.

which are fed with current from a battery contained in'thecasing 3.6. The arrangement of these parts as described may a be effected. inversel that is to say, m

' suchwise that these enium cells are mounted below, and the sources. of-light above'the magnetic direction indicating plate. By

means of condensers 21 which are located in'the corresponding pipe portions 18 .and 19 a shar or clearly defined imalge of the source ofight 20. is produced in the plane of the magnetic direction indicating plate 15. Now as may be 'seen from Figures 1 and 4-, the magnetic direction indicating plate 15 has an 'incision'22 extending over nearly one half of its circular periphery. This .incision is so selected that, when the aircraft "flies in the direction desired, the radial edges 23 of the magnetic direction indicating plate cover the sources of light 20 located in the two pipes 18- and 19, so that in this position an lllumination of-the sele nium cells 16 and 17 is prevented. In this case therefore a passage of current to the course indicator is prevented and the latter will remain standing in its normal position. As soon, however as the com ass box 14 is turned somewhat by the mac anism which turns the compass-card 1, the two sources of light 20 adopt aposition in which either the one or the other is no longer covered by the edge of the magnetic direction indicating source of .light nowin which he has to. turn as the selenium cells,

situ'ating the incandescent plate 15 so that, conse uently, the exposed illuminates the corresponding selenium cell and can excite it so-.that the thro' hit .and the course indicator can, there ore, be so actuated that the indicator or needle causes ,a corresponding throw or deflection and shows the pilot the direction the indicator .33 in Fig. 5. In all cases of passage of currents take place.

illustrated V by 1 utilization the magnetic direction indicating plate 15 thereby remains visible from above v and the compass per so can also be used in the normal manner. v

' As already mentioned there can'be used as a direction or course indicator either. the device.,according to the German specifica-' hon-278,174 or any other indicating device can also be :used and, finally, other arrange- 4 ments can also be introduced to, make the actual'course torbe pursued known to the pilot. Especially it becomes possible to transmit suchj'signs b means of s ecial incandescence signal amps, the 'ulbs of which l'nay be difi'erently'colored; such .an

addition is very useful especially in night The use of .the condensers 21 is important, for the reason that'only in this way is it pictures 0 the sources of hfght 20 in the immediate vicinity of the radial edges 23 of the magnetic direction indicating plate 15,

so that evena slight deviation in the direction of fli'ght leads to the exposure of one of the sources of light and permits of the illumination "of the cells. Morever by this construction unfavorable and undesirable illumination of light, is prevented.

In certain cases and with suitable indicating devices it may, at the same time, also be. advantageousto so constitute or locate the sources of light that the imalge produced by the condenserin the plane of the mag netic direction indicating: late 15 (loesnot appear as a Point 0r dot ut has ,a certain expansion transverse to the radius of the magnetic direction indicating plate 15," that 1s of. This can for example, be effected by so source of light that by the formation of the images of the sources of light it lies transversely to the radial .edg'eauThe result of this is that when the compass bii'x is turned upon alteration in the course, the source of 'ght is gradually exposed by the edge 23 of the magnetic direction indicating plate 15.

ossible'to create the images or- 95 especially by difl'used to say transversely to the edge 23 there' Y filament of the corresponding selenium greater deviationfrom the course, a strong.

indicating device be used which enables this variable current intensity to be read ofi by a more or less considerable deflection, then the pilot has a means for determining whether he has deviated considerably or only slightly from the prescribed course.

The principle described above can, however, also be employed in the reverse manner,

in order to transmit the position of the compass to indicating devices which are intended to give the actual position of the In the case of such so-called compass transmission device; contacts have hitherto exclusively been used which, by

means of a contact piece attached to the magnetic direction indicating plate, cause passage of the current in one or the other direction and then actuate the indicating dev1ces.by

means of magnets or also by means of synchronously running motors. Owing to the contacts, the drawbacks and difiiculties. mentioned previously, are also present. These, however, can also be avoided by the employment of the selenium cells. Figure 5 shows diagrammaticall such a compass transmission in a type a ready known in itself, but employing the, principle described above.

The semi-circular magnetic direction indicating plate 25 (Fig. 5) is a substitute for the similarly shaped disk 15 (Figs. 3 and 4). Above this plate is arranged a circular disk 29, which isconnected with thecompass casing and provided. with two diametrically -op osi te apertures filled up with selenium cel s 30 and 31. No ma ly, he position'of the disk 29, or more precisely, of the selenium cells is such that a line assumed to connect their centers extends exactly parallelly to the straight edge of the disk 25.

Below the parts mentioned are two lenses 28 and below these two sources of light 26 and 27, preferably electric incandescent lamps, the arrangement of which corresponds to that of the selenium cells, so that a movement of the disk 25 will cause the cut-out portion thereof to be disposed be"- tween the lamps and the cells, whereby the rays from the lamps will be projected directly on the selenium cells- The circular disk 29 has a cogged periphery and forms a worm wheel which meshes with a worm 37 secured to the shaft,

38 of an electromotor 32 by means of which the disk 29 can be rotated in one or the other direction.

The selenium cells are inserted into circuits containing a battery 39e d a relay 40 by which one or the other of two batteries 41 and 42 is caused to suppl current to the electromotor- 32 and cause t is to rotate in such a direction that the disk 29 is turned back into its former position when its osition relatively to the disk 25 has wen altered I This occurs at every deviation of the aircraft etc. to the right or to the left. The disk 25 which is subject to magnetic direction does not turn to the right or to the left,

but the other parts turn relatively to that disk. In the normal position, as in Fig. 5,

' the straight edge of the disk 25 intersects the pencils of rays projecting forth from the lamps 26 and 27 and none of the selenium cells is excited. But when the disk 29 turns relatively to the disk 25, one or the other selenium cell. is excited, in consequence whereof the appertaining motor circuit is closed, the direction of the current being then such, that the motor turns the worm gear in such a direction, that the disk 139 is turned back into its former position rela tively to the disk 25'. This position having been attained, the straight edge of the disk by the same batteries which supply the motor 32 with current, and the connections are such that the direction of rotation of the motor 34 corresponds to that of the motor 32. Also the motor 34 turns a disk 33 in one or the other direction, and there are marks permitting to ascertain the extent of the partial rotation at the time being. The disk 33 forms a kind. of substitute for the disk 29, in so far as it is possible to in from its position relativel" to the marks the degree of the deviation .rom the straight course to the right or to the left. course. two or more, instead of only one, disks with their appurtenances may be employed in connection with the combination and an ran ement of parts shown in the lett hand hill? of Fig- 5.

The type of such indicating devices also the means for actuating them, it re especially by synchronously running "a, are already known. Here the special tea ture lies in the use of the selenium cells 30 and 31 which with interposition of the-half magnetic direction indicating plate 25, only'illuminated when the disc 39 expert ences an angular displacement due to an alteration in the course. Hence in this case the operation of the whole device is also independent of the usual contacts which, hitherto, have lead to serious drawbacks in connection with such compass transmissions. The scheme coming into use with such a device, and which does not belong further to the subject matter of the inven- 6 tion can be so constituted as to comply with the conditions existing in each particular case.

I claim 1. In a navigation apparatus for air craft,

10 the combination with a compass casing, oi

a fixed support, means by which the compass casing is rotatably mounted on the support, an indicating devicehavingdn. electrically operable pointer, tliecompass casin containing two sources of light and two se enium cells, said cells being arranged to receive light from said sources, and a magnetic direction indicating plate, said plate bein arranged between said sources of light an the selenium cells and having an incision extending over one-half of its circular periphery, electrical conductors connecting sald selenium cells with the indicating devlce, an electric source for passing current throughone or the other of the selenium cells to the indicating device whereby to actuate'the electrically operable pointer on said indicatin device, when the displacement of the said indicating plate causes the illumination of one of the selenium cells b corresponding source of light;

2. In a navigation apparatus the combination with a compass casing, of a fined support, means by which the compass casing is rotatably mounted a said support, an indicatin device haviag'a'n electrically operable, pointer, the compass casin contaming s, two sources of. light and two se enium cells, said cells being arranged tp receive light i fl'om said sources, a magnetlc direction 111- dicating plate, said plate being arran ed between said sources of light and the se enium cells, and having an incisionextending over one-half of its circular periphery, a lens system between each of the sources of light and said indicating plate for concentrating the rays of the sources of light and producing an image of each of these sources in the plane of the indicator plate, electrical conductors connecting said selenium cells with the indicating device for causing electric current to pass from one of the selenium cells to the indicating device, whereby to actuate the electrically operable pointer in 5 said indicating device for indicating the casing containing two sources of light and two selenium cells, the said cells being arranged to receive light from said sources, and a magnetic direction indicating plate, said plate being arranged between the sources of light and the selenium cells and having an incision extending over one-half of its circular peripher said sources of light lying transversely of the radial edges of the incision of the indicating plate, a lens system between each of the sources of light and said indicating plate for concentrating the rays of the sources of light and producing an ima e of each of these sources in the plane 0? the indicating plate, electrical conductors connecting the said selenium cells With the indicating device, an electric source for causing an electric current to pass from one or the other of said selenium cells to the indicating device whereby to actuate the electricably operable pointer in said indicating device for indicating the orientation of the aircraft when one of the selenium cells becomes illuminated by a corresponding source of light upon relative displacement ofsaid indicating plate and compass casing.

4 In a navigation apparatus for air craft the combination with a compass casing, of a fixed support, means by which the compass casing is rotatabl mounted on said support, an indicating evice having an electrically operable pointer, the compass casing containing two sources of light and two selenium cells, the said cells being arranged to receive light from said sources and a magnetic direction indicating plate, said plate being arranged between the sources of ight and the selenium cells, and having an incision extending over one-half its circular periphery,a lens system between each of said sources of light and the said indicating plate for concentrating the rays of the sources of light, so that an image of the source of light is produced in the plane of the indicating plate, electrical conductors connecting said selenium cells with the-indicating device whereby to actuate the electrically operable pointer in said indicating device for indicating the orientation of the air craft, and an electric source for causing an electric current to pass from one or the other of the selenium cells to the indicating device,- when one of the selenium cells be comes illuminated by a corresponding source of light on relative displacement of the in dicating plate and compass casing.

5. In a navigation apparatus for air craft the combination with a compass casing, of a fixed support, means by which the compass casing is rotatably mounted on said support, an indicating device having an electrically operable pointer, the compass casing containing two sources of light and two selenium cells, said cells being arranged to receive light from said sources, and a magnetic direction indicatin plate said plate being arranged between t e sai sources of light and the selenium cells and having an mcision extending'over one-half its circular periphery, a lens system between each of said sources of light and said indicating plate for concentrating the raysof the sources of light, and producing an image of each of said sources in thepiazieoi t-hl indicating plate, the means whereby the aid com ass casing is rotatably supported being Car anvlike, and the support for said'meansbearing a drive member which is adapted to turn said means, means in engagement with said drive member and connected with the insignature.

MAX ROUX. 

